Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1887-01-19

loved the fetir ID life as well rs tho stormy
pctrels that ihronged around her island
hsme. A sun-burned, bronzel, hardy little
thing, shy as IN etland pony and as grace
ful, she hardly look I'd the IDEAL heroine and
yet none braver ever lived
She was awakened before dawn on the
morning of the seventh by the piteous cries
Of the wrecked passengers. Hastily dress
ing, she called her father and they went out
upon the rocks The wind still blew gale,
AID the waves were running high. AS the
darkness liftel from the sea they could dis
Germ the survivors clnging to the remnant
OF the vessel, and in imminent danger of b.
ing washed off by the returning tide.
Father, We must g TO their rescue, :"
cried Grace, her generous sympathy
touched at the sense of their peril.
1T is impossible" answered her father
''The strongest bolt would be torn to
pieces in an instant"
She said no NOR, for a timc, but as the
dayoreak broa1ened, and sh, could see the
hapleSs creatures beckoning for aid, she
could endure il no longer.
She went dowl and launch ed a boat, and
against her fathcr's remonstrances seized
an oar and tered it, This was enough |;
her father stayed back no longer.
With matchless intrep;dity she guided
in spite Of tho almost certain destruction
which threatened thom, they succeeded in
reaching the wreck. By a dangerous and
desperate effort the father was landed on
the rocks, and to prevent the boat from be-
ing dashed to pieces it was rowed back
short distance, ami kept afioat by the
SIX llfulness and deXterity Of the brave
young woman
The boat was too small for oil the wrecked
crew to be conveyed together to the light
house. Three times did the heroic girl
make the journey, landing three at time,
her father remaining on the wreck to help
the distressed sufferers embark. Once one OF
her oars was snapped in twain by crested
billow, but happily there was an extra one
on board, which Grace seized and by means
of it saved the shiff from being dashed in
pieces.
BY nine O'Clock in the morning, and after
the most incredible exertion and daring,
| Grace landed the whole of the survivors
consisting of five of the crew and four OF
the passengers, at the lighthouse. She did
it ut the risk of her life, and against the re.
mcnstrances of her father, and in spite OF
the terrible combating of the winds and the
waves. Artists of no mean talent have
| portrayed the scene, poets have celebrated
| the heroic act, and their memory Nyill live
! forever.
For three days and three nights the res
! cued sufferers remained at the lighthouse,
where Grace administered to their wants
! and anxiously strove to soothe their affiic
uions. The weather continued so tempest
uous that the main land could not be rea IN I'd
! till the tenth, which was Sunday. Then the
nine persons saved by the gallant heroism
! of the Darlngs were landed in safety. Six
/ more escaped by other means.
This noble act of hcroism, which has but
| few parallels, dill not go without it's re
! ward Besides tn, graad satisfaction OF
having been instrumental in saving tn.
| lives of nine fellow creatures, thu report o.
| her exploit Won her plauiits throughout
the civilized world Presents and demon.
strations were showere1 upon her from al
| parts of the United Kingdom, and publ,
subscription TO the amount Of seven hun
dred pounds was raised for her.
Many gallant suitor would haze en-
noble1 the far young heroins. But. tru,
to her own wild, true instincts, shc refused
all offers Of marriage, and spent the re
mainder of her days on the sea-washe'
rocks of Longstone Island. She died Their
October 20 1912, four years after her gal
liant deed, from disease brought Oh by he
|